title: Computer-aided decision support--glittering prospects, practical problems, and Pandora's box.
abstract: This chapter explores some of the prospects for and problems of computer-aided decision support in clinical medicine, with special reference to acute abdominal pain of both surgical and gynaecological origin. The need for such systems is argued, and it is further demonstrated that their provision is both feasible and (where implemented) associated with tangible improvements in performance by inexperienced hospital doctors. The problems of implementation are nevertheless formidable and these are discussed.
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: De Dombal
mesh_terms: D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003658:Decision Making, Computer-Assisted; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans